Cabbie’s emergency stop to help deliver baby boy
8:18am Friday 16th May 2008
A cab driver doubled as a midwife on Monday when he helped deliver a baby boy to a Hounslow couple he was driving to hospital.
Habibullah Noori, 46, took the call at midday to take an expectant mother and father to St George's Hospital in Tooting.
Mum-to-be Anna Gore's contractions had already started and they diverted to Charing Cross Hospital after hitting a wall of traffic caused by a five-car-pile up on Hammersmith flyover and problems with the lights at Chalker's Corner.
They were in Margravine Gardens, just behind the hospital, when it became apparent that mum-to-be Anna, 25, was about to give birth.
Mr Noori, a driver with Aircall Radio Cars for just three weeks, called 999 as dad-to-be Eddie Assefa leapt out of the taxi to ask gridlocked drivers to pull out of their way.
Mr Assefa, 27, of Heath Road, said: "Her waters broke so I got out and even moved a van myself because the driver had got out to see what was going on with the traffic.
"Then just by coincidence, I spotted a fast response ambulance and ran up to ask for help."
Meanwhile Mr Noori had pulled up on the pavement outside the gates of William Morris School.
Mr Assefa said: "They called another ambulance, and a paramedic named Andy delivered the baby right there and then."
Suzie Nollett, a learning mentor at the school, was teaching a class overlooking the road.
The 31-year-old said: "We heard screams, so we went to the window and saw two ambulances and a car with blankets covering the windows.
"We saw all the people inside were smiling, and shortly after a paramedic was carrying a baby wrapped up in a blanket.
"We clapped and cheered and some students went down there. I'm seven months pregnant, so seeing that was really lovely."
Mum, dad and baby were taken to Hammersmith Hospital where baby Adam weighed in at 6lbs 3oz (2.87kg).
Mr Noori said: "I am so proud and happy for the parents. Adam is so beautiful."
Maria Henderson, call manager at the cab company in Bell Parade, Hounslow, said in the industry it was good luck for a baby to be born in a taxi.
She added: "The company would like to wish baby, mum and dad all the best."